| Thunder - border collie! |
Thunder's full name is Bluewyle Thunder on the
Horison. He is a blue merle with diluted black
which makes his merle pattern dark gray on light
gray.
Thunder is one of those smart energetic border
collies that have one raison d'etre:
Throw it so I can go get it, throw it so I can go get
it, etc.
- and one existential dogma he often ponders:
If only I had an opposable thumb!
Horison. He is a blue merle with diluted black
which makes his merle pattern dark gray on light
gray.
Thunder is one of those smart energetic border
collies that have one raison d'etre:
Throw it so I can go get it, throw it so I can go get
it, etc.
- and one existential dogma he often ponders:
If only I had an opposable thumb!
May '06
June 2006, 9 years old!
August 2006
Shortly after sunrise at Bonneville Point right
outside of Boise. August 2006
outside of Boise. August 2006
Thunder is one of the most fearless dogs I have ever met, well, him and his siblings. He doesn't even flinch when furniture
falls down on him and he will walk on narrow beams high above the ground - or at least he did when he was young. He likes
to be outside during thunder and fireworks to watch it. And I have to be careful when throwing a ball or he will jump off
tall cliffs to follow it.
This do-what-it-takes attitude goes hand in hand with being a little single-minded, which isn't unusual in border collies, but
also somewhat hard-headed which he also shares with his mother and siblings. In the States you generally see more
sensitive and submissive border colllies, and in Europe it goes both ways.
I used to do agility with him and while he would never have been great he mostly did well. I am not much for participating in
competitions (except conformation shows) so we only did it as a sport for our own enjoyment. We did some obedience
training, I tried showing him a few times, and I tried him on sheep once. What a disaster - when he finally followed the
sheep (at first he ignored them because he thought I would get upset with him) he threw himself into the middle of the
flock to split them up and chase them around. No wonder his mother, who has a similar personality, had to be "retired" from
herding at a young age. If I had had access to cattle I would have given that a try but wasn't so.
I have so many animals now that I don't get to train and work the dogs the way they should be. They get to run off leash
several times each month in the dessert or the mountains and I spend a good bit of time with them at home since I don't
work, but Thunder still gets bored and I feel guilty about it. At least it isn't as bad now that he is older, and he gets tired
a little quicker when he runs around.
falls down on him and he will walk on narrow beams high above the ground - or at least he did when he was young. He likes
to be outside during thunder and fireworks to watch it. And I have to be careful when throwing a ball or he will jump off
tall cliffs to follow it.
This do-what-it-takes attitude goes hand in hand with being a little single-minded, which isn't unusual in border collies, but
also somewhat hard-headed which he also shares with his mother and siblings. In the States you generally see more
sensitive and submissive border colllies, and in Europe it goes both ways.
I used to do agility with him and while he would never have been great he mostly did well. I am not much for participating in
competitions (except conformation shows) so we only did it as a sport for our own enjoyment. We did some obedience
training, I tried showing him a few times, and I tried him on sheep once. What a disaster - when he finally followed the
sheep (at first he ignored them because he thought I would get upset with him) he threw himself into the middle of the
flock to split them up and chase them around. No wonder his mother, who has a similar personality, had to be "retired" from
herding at a young age. If I had had access to cattle I would have given that a try but wasn't so.
I have so many animals now that I don't get to train and work the dogs the way they should be. They get to run off leash
several times each month in the dessert or the mountains and I spend a good bit of time with them at home since I don't
work, but Thunder still gets bored and I feel guilty about it. At least it isn't as bad now that he is older, and he gets tired
a little quicker when he runs around.
Thunder's colors fit well with the sagebrush in the
Owyhees at the Wild Horse Management Area. Late
summer-early fall 2006
Owyhees at the Wild Horse Management Area. Late
summer-early fall 2006
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Thunder as a
youngster while
we still lived in
Denmark.
youngster while
we still lived in
Denmark.
In October 2006 we found
a new area in the Owyhees
with less brush, more
grasses, and amazing lava
rock formations.
a new area in the Owyhees
with less brush, more
grasses, and amazing lava
rock formations.
This photo was taken in
the Fall of 2006 as the
leaves were turning color
above Idaho City.
the Fall of 2006 as the
leaves were turning color
above Idaho City.
June 2008. Thunder is 11 years
old and still doing great.
old and still doing great.
Fall, 2007
Thunder helps clean up trails and recycle!
May, 2007